More than a dozen counties join those with high level for COVID-19 transmission

The variety of folks contracting COVID-19 has spiked 10% in Illinois since Memorial Day weekend, and state well being officers are warning residents to be cautious heading into summer time.

“This uptick is a trigger for concern — and serves as a reminder to all of us, particularly as we’re approaching the approaching Father’s Day and Juneteenth weekend, that we will all do our half to battle the virus,” Amaal Tokars, the Illinois Division of Public Well being’s appearing director, stated in an announcement.

The soar in instances ended what had been a downward pattern in Illinois.

In Illinois, 32 counties now are designated “excessive” transmission threat by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, up from 19 counties final week.

These counties embrace Prepare dinner, Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Kane in northeastern Illinois. Different clusters are the counties round Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield. 5 counties are in or close to the state’s southern tip.

One other 39 counties are at “medium” threat.

Since June 3, greater than 34,000 coronavirus instances have been reported, and 73 deaths.

Tokars urged those that are sick to remain residence. Folks uncovered to the virus or experiencing signs ought to get examined earlier than visiting family and friends.

“The simplest option to forestall extreme sickness is for all to be updated with vaccinations and boosters,” Tokars stated within the assertion. “That is particularly essential for elders and individuals who’re immunocompromised or have advanced medical circumstances.”

Even when taking these steps, Tokars stated, folks ought to put on masks indoors and keep away from crowded indoor areas.

As of Thursday night, 1,189 folks with COVID-19 have been hospitalized within the state. Of these sufferers, 124 sufferers have been within the ICU and 27 sufferers have been on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day case charge for the state is 267 instances per 100,000 folks.

A complete of twenty-two,485,224 vaccine doses have been administered within the state, a median of 11,813 doses a day. Since final week, 82,691 doses reportedly have been administered.

At the very least 76% of the state’s inhabitants has obtained at the very least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, whereas 69% of the full inhabitants is taken into account absolutely vaccinated. Practically 53% of the state’s residents have obtained the primary booster shot.